Kimberly-clark Corporation

Gary L Nilo

Edwin G Greenman

A melt transfer web useful for transferring pre-printed inked graphic patterns onto natural or synthetic base fabric sheets, as well as other porous, semi-porous or non-porous material workpieces, is disclosed. The transfer web is comprised of a flexible, heat-stable substrate, preferably a saturated paper having a top surface coated with a first film layer of a given polymer serving as a heat-separable layer, and a second film layer superposed on the first film layer and comprised of another given polymer selected to cooperate with the first film layer to form a laminate having specific adhesion to porous, semi-porous or non-porous materials when heat softened. For use in the melt transfer process, the coated surface has printed thereon with compatible inks, any desired pattern or design. Decorating or printing workpieces is effected by contacting the workpieces with the printed surface of the melt transfer web and hot pressing the assembly at a suitable temperature and pressure for a predetermined period of time, to transfer the polymeric laminate to the workpiece. While the assembly is still hot, the substrate is peeled away and the printed pattern along with the second film layer which now overcoats the pattern and a major portion of the first film layer which is released from the substrate during the peeling process are transferred onto the workpiece. The transferred first and second film layers adhesively bond the inked pattern onto the workpieces in a manner which does not substantially degrade the physical properties, touch, feel and washability of the workpiece.

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Neenah, WI, United States of America

Gary L Nilo